


Close your eyes and count to three

by Wavyscribe



Series: The Sun and Moon of Galar [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-16
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-18 21:27:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29496543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wavyscribe/pseuds/Wavyscribe
Summary: Three times Raihan tries to confess but everything goes catastrophically wrong.Until it doesn’t.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan, Hop/Yuuri | Gloria
Series: The Sun and Moon of Galar [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2166570
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo,
> 
> I’m back with another shortish story about our two favourite dorks!  
> This one will probably be rather short but I hope you’ll enjoy it, nevertheless.
> 
> If you do, please leave some comments and kudos!
> 
> Wavyscribe out.

“So when’s the wedding?”

Raihan startled, the back of his head coming into painful contact with the wooden racks he had been studying. After a moment of blinding pain, the gym leader managed to maneuver himself out of the piece of furniture that started looking more and more like an intentionally placed death trap by the minute.

He sighed, rubbing the sore spot on his head.

“I don’t know what you’re on about, Sonia.”

The assistant professor in question smiled, absent-mindedly playing with an oddly misshapen vase that looked slightly cursed even to Raihan’s untrained eye.

“Oh, sure you don’t, Raihan dear. I’m not blind.”

“I never said you were.”

Sonia smiled, picking up an even more... creative piece of pottery next. Raihan wasn’t entirely sure the store they were in even sold those. 

“How about this one...?”

Raihan didn’t even have to look to know that she’d probably found the most eccentric object up for sale, yet again.

“Leon and I like to keep the colors... a bit simpler.”

He walked up to her and took the item from her loose grasp, placing it onto a shelf out of her reach. If he knew one thing for sure, it’s that the price of something scaled exponentially with how breakable it was.

And Raihan wasn’t going to risk it with Sonia.

After a few minutes of the assistant professor precariously dangling ceramics on her manicured fingers, Raihan finally gave in.

“I really have no clue what you’re trying to say.”

He gave an exasperated shrug and turned back to look at furniture palettes and color wheels that had long since started making his head spin.

Just when he began suspecting in earnest that his mind would crack clean in half if he as mich as saw another eggshell white countertop, he heard Sonia speak again.

“You can tell us, you know? Not that there’s still anyone left not in the know. The thought’s what counts.”

“I _would_ if you’d just tell me what I’m supposed to be hiding from you.” Raihan said, arms deep in a washing machine this time. Sonia decided to change her approach.

“What are we here for, Raihan?”

A thousand hazy reflections on the metal washing drum sighed at him when he extracted himself from the machine. He fixed his ginger-haired friend with a long-suffering look.

“Just tell me if you’re bored. I told you I’d come alone but you insisted on tagging along.”

“Don’t change the topic. Answer the question, dear.”

The gym leader gave a slightly anguished smile and walked to the next appliance after a glance at the exorbitant price tag.

“Furniture. We’re buying furniture.”

“For what exactly?”

“For my- our new house.”

“And ours meaning...?”

“Leon and me, who else could I be-?”

Raihan’s ears reddened with sudden realization. He cast his eyes down, eagerly perusing the user manual.

“You gonna buy that?”

The dark-haired looked at Sonia questioningly. She shrugged wordlessly and pointed towards the heart-shaped bed he was holding the manual for. At closer glance, it was advertising its... extra features with bold, pink letters.

Raihan dropped the booklet like it was on fire. As no doubt his face was.

“There’s nothing between us. We’re just... friends.”

Sonia’s smirk grew while she skipped along at the side of her friend.

“Sure... friends that live together, sleep in one bed and buy houses in their off-time. Of _course_.”

Raihan was sure his face was burning a brighter red now than even the heart-shaped bed he was fleeing from.

“There really isn’t-“, Raihan swallowed his words of denial with a look at Sonia.

“Okay, _fine_. I like him. There, you happy now?”

Sonia smiled brightly and reached out to pat his head.

“Now there’s a good boy. You know you can’t hide the truth from a professor as wise as yours truly.”

“ _Assistant_ professor.”

“ _Married_ couple.”

“We’re _not_ -“

“Are so.”

Raihan’s shoulder sank. They came to a stop at a small cafe inside the shopping complex. He felt like he needed something sweet to calm his nerves... and to stuff Sonia’s over-talkative mouth.

“I don’t even know if he likes me.”

“Oh please, anyone with _eyes_ in their head-“

She turned her head, eyes locking onto Raihan’s sullen expression, spoon uselessly stirring in his drink.

“You’re serious.”

Her dumbstruck expression mirrored the surprise in her voice.

“But _how_ -? You’re just short of sucking each others brains out with the hearty eyes you make at each other, just about anytime you’re in the same room.”

“ _Sonia_!”

The gym leader looked around cautiously but the other patrons were few and far in between today. He let go of a heavy breath.

“We’re not- That’s just how he’s like with everyone. You know what he’s like, Sonia.”

“Uh- _huh_ , how come I can’t remember him spooning Milo during movie night? The way he looks like he bit into an entire basket of lemons whenever your fans pester you for photos? Yeah right.”

“We’re really not like that.”

The dark-haired leant back in his seat, eyes fixed somewhere on the ceiling, quite possibly even farther away than that.

“I like him. I’ve liked him ever since we started our journey to the top of Galar. He’s been running in front of me. And I’ve been chasing after him but never have I reached his side.”

Sonia was silent for a moment. Then she put down her now empty mug to fix him with a warm look.

“I’m sure he returns that sentiment. Have you ever tried asking him out?”

The gym leader looked at her, as if startled by the mere thought. Sonia pictured a turtle retreating into the safety of its shell and smiled softly. After a while, something subtly shifted in his expression and he put down the sugar packet he’d been idly playing with.

“It never felt like a good time to.”

Sonia’s smirk grew even wider.

“Oh _Raihan_ , time waits for no one. If there’s no good time, you just gotta _make_ one.”

Raihan felt a cold shiver pass down his spine at Sonia’s expression.

“...What are you planning?”

“Oh, you’ll find out soon enough, dear.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,
> 
> I’m back from the dead to drop off this short chapter.   
> Hope you’ll enjoy it! As always, I do love me some kudos and comments if you can leave some :D
> 
> Wavyscribe out.

“I’m really not sure about this, Sonia.”

There’s a low crackle on the other end of the line before he heard Sonia’s slightly distorted voice again. She sounded rushed, electronic voice interspersed irregularly with the rough sounds of wilderness.

“Look, I’m really sorry I had to cancel on you because of the expedition but if I don’t go now, who knows when...-”

“That’s not what I meant.”

With a sense of resignation, he directed his gaze to the scene before him. He felt his eyelids twitch uncomfortably.

An entire car trunk bursting with red roses and balloons, decorated to the brim with dizzying, heart-shaped fairy lights laid before his eyes.   
And amidst all of the overflowing extravaganza the little brother of the Champion stood, eyes somehow sparkling even brighter than his blinding handiwork, unabashed wide grin stretching from ear to ear.

Hop gave him an encouraging nod when he noticed his gaze while he faked enthusiasm in return. Raihan continued whispering into his phone in a hushed tone. Despite all, he knew that Hop just meant well.

“Are you _really_ sure Hop’s the right person for this?”

“What do you mean...?”

“I’m just... Hop’s a bit over-enthusiastic, don’t you think?”

“Fiddlesticks, do I need to remind you which one of you is currently in a loving relationship and who’s - only Arceus knows why - not?”

Raihan’s expression turned slightly sour.

“I know,” he grumbled. “But don’t you think...?”

“Then there’s your answer, dear. We still...-“

Shrill static swallowed up the end of her sentence and a solid crash rang out amidst the ensuing white noise. Raihan instantly felt his blood run cold.

“ _Sonia_? Are you...?”

The line crackled as if in protest but mercifully held fast. The assistant professor’s hushed voice sounded from the speaker once more, just moments after. Raihan breathed a sigh of relief.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine. We finally caught the trails of it! Can’t talk anymore, don’t think the rainforest is gonna have any reception either way.”   
  


Raihan heard a rustle of fabric and the dull metallic clanking of equipment being set up.

“Anyways, good luck getting your man, lover boy! Go and make Mummy proud!”

The line went dead before Raihan could muster an appropriate reply, not that he’d ever gotten the upper hand against the assistant professor ever since he’d known her.

The gym leader ran a hand through his mussed hair. One of these days Sonia’d be the death of him. If a certain lion-maned Champion didn’t get to him first, that was.

Pocketing his phone, the dark-haired tried to convince himself of Hop’s good intentions once more.

“You sure this is the way to go?”

“Yeah man, I heard that balloons and roses will make anyone swoon over you, guaranteed.”

With a smug smile and a quick thumbs-up the trainer made a swooping motion gesturing to the car bulging at the seams with greenery, no doubt very proud of his masterpiece. The sound of fast approaching steps garnered Raihan’s attention.

The dark-haired’s eyes widened while he tried to hush the chatterbox in front of him to no avail. It was too late.

“Sounds like you’ve got some first-hand experience, huh?”

“Yeah of course, call me the guru of love, the master of romance, the champion of... Gloria?!"

The girl in question turned to go as suddenly as she had appeared, waving for a flying taxi in a smooth motion.

Hop, in his mindless panic, dashed into the driver’s seat of the car to catch up to her.

Raihan looked on with a sense of cathartic calm while everything spiralled into barely contained chaos.

A flood of petals spilled out onto the street, surging like ocean waves, while dozens of helium balloons carrying a small, inconspicuous velvet box amongst them rejoiced in their new-found freedom.

If he was still dreaming, please let him wake up from this nightmare. Any moment now, _Arceus_.

~*~

“I had a feeling Hop was still too green behind his ears to be of any help.”

Sonia had listened to his story, all the while barely suppressing her giggles. Raihan gradually began seriously questioning his choice in friends.

“It’s a good thing the balloons got caught in a tree or you’d have been proposing from outer space.”

The assistant professor finally couldn’t hold herself back anymore and erupted into giggles like a broken dam. Raihan’s ears turned red. He didn’t dignify her comment with a response. Entirely not because he couldn’t think of anything to retort with.

“It’s nice to see how much of a wellspring of entertainment I am to you. Boy, do I feel loved.”

The dark-haired dead-panned, massaging his aching temples.

“Oh Raihan,” Nessa who had been silently listening to him finally spoke up. “Why don’t you try something simple? Like a movie and dinner at a nice place?”

The dark-haired looked up from his cup of coffee that had been stirred to death and back.

“You could ask the waiter to hide it in the dessert. That way you don’t even have to pop the question. He’ll know.”

Raihan contemplated the idea for a few seconds. It was certainly much better than his last disastrous attempt.

“What do I even have to lose anymore at this point? Let’s make this a day to remember!”

He felt his chest fill up with the same nervous energy he’d feel just before a good match. He’d show them Raihan Kibana, gym leader extraordinaire.

Raihan clenched and unclenched his right fist, lost in a dozen what-ifs.

This time, for sure.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> I’m dropping by to give you another installment of this little fic.  
> Hope you like it!
> 
> Wavyscribe out.

“Do I really have to wear this?”

The champion looked at the complicated suit hanging limply off of his figure with tangible distaste, doing his best impression of a drowned puppy. He’d never particularly enjoyed formal wear and avoided any and all, much preferring his worn tricot.

His dubious expression while picking at the stiff fabric managed to elicit a small laugh from Raihan, stressed to almost breaking as he was.

“Yes, now button up your shirt before we’re too late.”

“Where are we even going? I though it was just dinner?”

Leon gave up messing with his dress shirt, looking up to search for Raihan.

The gym leader was busying himself around the house, double-checking windows and stoves, unable to look Leon squarely in the eye. He felt certain a single glance from the champion was all it took for him to break down and spill the beans.

But he couldn’t. At least not for today. _Especially_ not today.

“Today is really important to me.” Raihan’s hand came to rest on Leon’s fidgeting arms.

“So please, just humor me?”

Leon’s confused gaze turned soft, looking at the usually well-composed gym trainer flitting around the house, nervous energy electrifying the air around him.

He reached out to grasp Raihan’s hands softly, thumb smoothing over the calloused skin of his palms. As quickly as they appeared, Leon’s hands were gone again, leaving Raihan at a slight loss.

Just when the gym leader made to return to fussing around the room for the eleventh time, Leon reached out with his right hand to smooth Raihan’s tie against his shirt, light smile hanging lazily at his lips.

“Don’t worry, we’ll make it. _You_ planned this, after all. I trust you,” Leon’s deep voice gradually calmed his agitation.

“And you should, too, number one gym leader.”

The gym leader in question felt Leon’s ever present smile gently melting the frosty feeling of impending doom he’d carried in his heart ever since he’d started to plan for this day. His racing heart gradually slowed down to a steady beat.

“Oh _you_ , what would you even do without me?”

Raihan stepped closer to the dark-haired and carefully re-buttoned the messily done up shirt Leon was sporting. His focussed look of concentration brought a soft arch to the champion’s lips. A strand of his otherwise immaculately styled hair fell into his face and Leon unthinkingly reached out to smooth it back behind his ear.

“But you’re here, aren’t you?” Leon answered, voice steady and certain.

The gym leaders felt the his ears heating up where the ghost of Leon’s touch was still lingering.

~*~

A few hours later found Raihan cursing the invention of cars and streets. He silently added ‘vacations’ and ‘happy families’ in general to the fast expanding list of his most disliked things. He was growing certain they had been sent by the heavens intentionally, just to spite him.

When he was planning for today he’d been so happy to find that they’d finally had a common rest day, that he hadn’t accounted for the droves of families going on vacation for the holidays. He should’ve chosen to fly there, suit be damned.

The champion was leaning against the car window, absent-mindedly playing with an empty pokeball, throwing it upwards a short distance and catching it again in a well-practiced manner. Stray sun rays caught in the polished red and white surface, reflecting sparks of bright light into the corner of Raihan’s vision. From time to time Leon’d breathe against the glass and idly draw little figures in the dissipating condensation.

“Why’d we even have to go that far, just to eat? You know I don’t really care that much as long as the taste is right and the portions big enough.”

Leon’s careless remark cut through the hours of silence between them. The gym leader took a few seconds that stretched into eternity to muster up an answer.

“It’s just... I can’t tell you now but it’s very important to me. A thing of a lifetime.” _Their_ lifetime, he was tempted to add but didn’t.

Raihan kept his gaze pointed straight at the traffic that hadn’t so much as budged for the last quarter hour, afraid what he might see if he turned his head.

“If it’s that important, why couldn’t you have told me at home? Or now, for that matter?”

“I can’t, I just... we need to get to the restaurant first. We have a reservation.”

Even though the time scheduled had long passed, Raihan realised he was desperately grasping at straws, refusing to accept yet another failure.

“What’s so important for me to see at the restaurant? Are you introducing me to your fiancé or what?”

The gym leader didn’t notice the slight quiver in his rival’s voice. The pokeball Leon had been playing with glanced of his fingers, hitting his seat with a dull thud and eventually disappearing into the darkness under the upholstery.

The sun had set by now. Leon didn’t bother to look for the ball.

The two sat in silence for a while until a deep grumble pierced the stagnant air in the car. Raihan peeked at the passenger seat to see Leon turning slightly pink.

“I’m hungry.”

“I... can tell.”

The champion didn’t give up.

“Hey, I think I just saw a sign about a burger place just ahead.”

The gym leader didn’t budge.

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to get fast food in suit and tie.”

Leon didn’t even have to think before answering.

“I don’t mind, the food sure won’t mind either.”

Raihan could vividly picture the 100 megawatts puppy eyes Leon was flashing at him but he decisively refused to spare even a single glance in his direction. He felt certain, his fragile resolution couldn’t weather another blow tonight.

However, as always, Leon easily found a way around his defenses. Suddenly, he felt his right hand being pulled along to rest softly on crumpled fabric.

“Even if you can bear seeing me starving to death, at least have some sympathy for your unborn son. Do it for the children.”

Raihan felt a low rumble through the thin fabric warmed by Leon’s skin, as if in affirmation.

With a defeated sigh the gym leader took the next exit.

~*~

“That hits the spot!”

Raihan looked on as the reigning Champion heartily gobbled up burger after burger, his tie loosened and his shirt slightly unbuttoned.

This was more like the Leon he knew. Who had he even been kidding the entire day up until now?

“You want some?”

Like a hoarding dragon perched on his mountain of treasure Leon pushed a box of fries and a burger still wrapped tightly in its grease-stained wrapper into his direction, hand quivering slightly as if parting with a prized possession. Raihan smiled.

“It’s all yours. I’ll just go... buy more.”

Checking behind his back three times with every step, the gym leader eventually made it to the register. Leon was obliviously lost in his rapidly waning mountain of burger wrappers and sauce packets.

“What can I get you?” A slightly bored looking teenage girl drawled at him.

Raihan sneakily felt for the velvet box resting inside his inner suit pocket and leant closer to whisper to the girl.

A few minutes later Raihan walked back, fingers closed in a vice grip around a pint of ice cream like a runner carrying the Olympic flame. His heart thundered against his chest, growing steadily louder with every step he took.

“I can’t eat another bite.”

Leon sighed contently, letting out a few unromantic burps. The gym leader felt his heart sink.

“I’m sure you can still fit some dessert. I got you ice cream.”

“I really can’t. Besides, ice cream in December, you serious?”

“C’mon, I went through the trouble of buying it, don’t let it go to waste.”

“I told you, I _really_ can’t-... Oh hi there, buddy.”

A small boy had wandered over to their table, eyes sparkling brightly, tiny hands clenched around a crumpled league card.

“Leon!”

The boy shouted gleefully when he came closer. The champion returned a grin.

“You’re Leon!”

The boy was just short of boring a hole through the Champion with his unbridled enthusiasm. Excitedly, he thrust out the league card along with a red crayon and a stuffed bunny.

“I’m Noah, your biggest fan! Cuddles really likes you too!”

Still smiling, Leon accepted the items and signed with a familiar flourish. When he finished, he held up the bunny to his ear in exaggerated surprise.

“What? You’re telling me lil’ Noah here is gonna be the next Champion? And you want to stay with him until he does?”

He returned the stuffed toy, feigning reluctance to part with it again. Noah looked at him in wonder, giggling dizzily.

“I know, let me give you something in return.”

He rummaged through his pockets but came up with nothing of note. Eventually, he looked back up again, directly at the only item of food spared from his ravenous appetite. The pint of ice cream standing at attention on the battlefield of wrappers had already started melting slightly. Raihan looked on in silent horror as he reached for the cup, gaze already turning back to his avid fan.

“Say buddy, do you like ice cream?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So we’re nearing the end of this story.  
> Please leave me some comments if you liked it this far!
> 
> Wavyscribe out.


End file.
